The State Council has issued a guideline to promote region-based tourism, meaning identifying a whole area as a tourism destination, with unified planning for modern and quality tourism.

The circular urged advancing the “tourism plus” program, promoting industrial integration and exploring new functions in region-based tourism.

The region-based tourism modes should feature diversity and environmental protection, the circular added.

The aim is to develop an integrated, quality, regulated tourism ecosystem that can generate maximum benefit.

The circular stressed efforts to extend tourism in other fields and industries, including integration with urban planning to build tourist towns and counties, with agriculture and forestry for sightseeing agriculture and forest parks and with technology for development of high-end healthcare tourism.

The circular also urged exploring cultural traits and folklore in tourism areas, upgrading quality of traditional craft art products, and bringing in new technologies for tourism products.

Entrepreneurship and innovation programs were also encouraged, and diverse investment entities will be welcomed.

According to the circular, tourism areas were encouraged to enhance service quality, build high-quality tourism brands and introduce intelligent services such as free Wi-Fi and online booking and payment.

In addition, public facilities should be enhanced. The circular called for efforts to push ahead the “toilet revolution” and improve transportation network, consultation service centers in traffic hubs and guideposts.

The circular also urged protecting resources and the environment, and carrying out poverty-alleviation work by utilizing potential in tourism resources.

The government should increase policy support in finance, land use and talent, the circular read.